Supes want Chinatown subway station named for Rose Pak

Rose Pak, who died last month, mentored and promoted the careers of many current and
former politicians — Mayor Ed Lee among them.

Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle

What started out as an impromptu suggestion — naming the Central Subway Muni Metro station in Chinatown after Rose Pak — is inching closer to reality.

Pak, who died last month, was one of the most important figures in San Francisco politics. She was a power broker, community activist and forceful advocate for the Chinatown community. While never a politician herself, she mentored and promoted the careers of many current and former politicians — Mayor Ed Lee among them.

Last week, the Board of Supervisors unanimously supported a resolution introduced by four supervisors — Jane Kim, Aaron Peskin, Norman Yee and David Campos — calling on the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency to name the Central Subway stop the Rose Pak Station.

The resolution says Pak dedicated more than 40 years working toward the station and that she “played an instrumental role” in securing $500 million in federal funding for the project. It also says the station “would not have been possible without the advocacy and support of Rose Pak.”

Opposition to the resolution came from practitioners of the Falun Gong spiritual movement. They accuse the Chinese government of persecuting them — a criticism they extended to Pak. Among their grievances is that Pak refused to let them participate in the Chinese New Year’s parade in Chinatown.

— Emily Green

New captain: San Francisco didn’t have to sail far to find its new director of the Port of San Francisco.

Mayor Ed Lee has named Elaine Forbes, the port’s interim director since February, as its permanent executive director. Forbes previously served as the port’s deputy director.

“Elaine’s extensive leadership experience at the Port of San Francisco and her 15 years of invaluable experience serving our city’s residents makes her an outstanding candidate to serve the port, its diverse stakeholders and the 24 million people that come to our city’s waterfront annually,” Lee said in a statement.

The port manages 7 miles of waterfront property that includes Fisherman’s Wharf, renovated piers along the Embarcadero, and the small working port on the city’s south end. The port is also working on a proposed ferry terminal at Agua Vista Park on 16th Street.

Emily Green covers San Francisco City Hall, focusing on the mayor’s office and the Board of Supervisors. Previously, Emily covered the California Supreme Court for the Daily Journal, a legal affairs publication, and freelanced stories for National Public Radio. An Atlanta native, Emily spent a year reporting in the Philippines on a Fulbright Fellowship. She previously lived and worked in Chile for a year. Emily is interested in justice related issues, the ins and outs of San Francisco politics and the city's life at large.